Included in the Common Core standards, poetry was one of the earliest genres of literature and remains one of the most important today. Rhythm, word stress, and the other central elements of poetry are explained, as well as themes that are common in this sensory-based form of writing. Many examples of short poems are featured, including samples of the haiku form that originated in Japan or the Irish limerick known for incorporating humor, among others....

This enchanting book delves into the history of folktales, or stories made up by peoples around the world to teach important values to their children. Traditional folktales from a variety of Native American communities and distant countries such as India and Botswana are all presented to show the commonalities shared by such diverse cultures in their classic stories. Artwork and paintings illustrate the tales, while textboxes explain important terms...

Fairy tales teach children stories of characters in imaginary worlds who undergo hardship but learn to overcome their difficult circumstances. This book covers the basic components that make up fairy tales, as well as the purpose these tales serve in culture.

This engaging volume introduces readers to the world of technical texts and their uses and is aligned with grade 2 Common Core ELA-Literacy standards. Students learn about the purposes and types of technical texts, and actually analyze sample texts. They review experiments, recipes, and crafts, and compare and contrast the examples. They also discover how specific images contribute to and clarify texts. In an activity section, readers are given the...

Stories have been a part of our lives since birth. Many parents were reading and recounting stories and tales to us before we could talk. This instructive volume explains what constitutes a work of fiction as well as why it's written in the first place, and highlights important terminology, such as conflict. Key examples feature famous fiction authors and their work, comparing and contrasting their styles, and highlighting some of the prominent features...